Methods for exercising arms and wrists and improving the muscular coordination thereof are many and varied. One device previously utilized consisted of three rotatable caster wheels mounted to a base plate and an elongated stem, one end of which was mounted in the center of and normal to the base plate and the other end of which supported a handle. With this device a patient griped the handle and rolled the base plate along a predetermined path, thereby improving his arm coordination and strengthening his muscles. Although this device did allow the patient to exercise his arm muscles and improve coordination, it did not provide sudden rotational movements or rotational forces about the base for the arm and wrist muscles to overcome because it was designed to remain stable as it roled and needed to be tipped at an angle greater than 45 degrees to become unstable.
Another exercise device consisted of a handle rotatably mounted to an axle connecting two wheels as described in German Pat. No. 2,157,667 dated May 24, 1973. Both the axle and handle mounting apparatus could be variously weighted. Although this apparatus provided for handle rotational movements, it only rotated in a plane normal to the longitudinal axis of the axle and its rotation occurred in an analog manner rather than suddenly, thereby making it difficult for the patient to realize that he did not exercise the muscular control required to maintain the handle stem in a vertical orientation.
The device disclosed herein eliminates the above-described problems by being weighted to provide a tendency to tip suddenly when rolled. This tipping tendency, which the patient must overcome, provides a more effective exercise technique for increasing shoulder, arm and wrist range of motion, muscle strength, coordination, speed and endurance.